Examples of a technique of introducing gene DNA into cultured cells or the like may include the calcium precipitation method, the lipid transfer method, the viral vector method, electroporation, the gene gun method, and the microinjection method. In the above methods other than the microinjection method, DNA is introduced in cells at a certain probability, and thus it is impossible to introduce DNA into only a specific cell. On the other hand, the microinjection method has been problematic in that since the diameter of the edge of a glass pipette is approximately 1 μm, cells are easily damaged when such a glass pipette is inserted into the cell nucleus thereof. In addition, when different genes are introduced into multiple cells, the same number of pipettes as that of genes should be prepared, resulting in complicated preparation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-88383 discloses that in order to provide a means for collecting biomolecules such as RNA from living cells, a needle capable of specifically binding to biomolecules is inserted into a living cell using a device enabling fine position control, and that the needle is then removed from the cell. As a needle used herein, a ZnO whisker or a carbon nanotube is used. For example, the surface of a metal oxide whisker is modified with an amino group, so that the whisker can bind to biomolecules existing in cells and collect them.